*SPOILER ALERT* As one of the judges, I’d like to share some of the thoughts I’ve had since the taping. Perhaps I feel guilty for ruling in favor of the Jehovah’s Witnesses :). Though, in all honesty, given the points that John hit on, I still feel like the JW’s won. For me, however, in terms of straight doctrinal weirdness (ignoring the institutions), I think it would be a much closer result, perhaps the Mormons would even win. Let’s not forget that Mormons believe the garden of eden is in Jackson County, Missouri – haha! Not to mention the myriad of other strange LDS doctrines, that need not be repeated here. John has stated in previous podcasts that Mormonism is weirder, but that Jehovah’s Witnesses are more controlling. I think there is definitely something to that. The Jehovah’s Witnesses indeed appear to be more insular and more controlling. They appear to care much, much less than the Mormons about fitting in with the mainstream. I had an overall bad experience in Mormonism, don’t get me wrong, but the controlling aspects (medical, education, government, etc…) of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are pretty damn scary to me. Just my opinion.

Scott

I agree with you. As an ExJw with many exMormon friends, I feel that the LDS beliefs are stranger, but the JWs are more controlling, in some way that almost makes the JWs actions stranger.

We have so much in common, it had made our fun little group of EXs very close. We enjoy swapping stories.

http://www.paperclipping.com/ Noell Hyman

I had this thought during the episode. In terms of day-to-day living, the JW’s seem much weirder to me (and it’s really sad, actually!). But if we were to compare doctrine side-by-side, including past doctrines Mormons have tried to hide, such as polygamy (which used to fall in the category of day-to-day living) and Blood Atonement, etc I expect the Mormons would probably have it.

jack

how is day to day living more weird as a jehovas witness?

SLC Bunk

Well, say for example, today is your birthday.

http://www.paperclipping.com/ Noell Hyman

For the same reasons listed and voted for in the podcast. I don’t think I need to list them, since the panel on the show already did.

http://www.paperclipping.com/ Noell Hyman

Acck – after posting I realized my post is abrupt and sounds rude. I’m just in a hurry, not trying to be rude.

Chris W

Surprised that John Dehlin and Kate Kelly did not make the news section…

Duke of Earl Grey

This podcast was recorded right before the excommunication proceedings hit the news, so it will be in next week’s show, we can be sure.

On a separate note, here’s my take on Mormon dentists. Have you ever looked at a dental practice’s website? Check out the page that says “About Us” or “Meet Our Team” or whatever. You’ll probably see a picture of a pudgy 30-50 year-old male dentist surrounded by several beautiful 20-something female hygienists. It’s like the closest a modern Mormon man can come to living out a polygamist fantasy.

Mike

It didn’t take me too long to do the temporal calculations and figure out what was up. But even taking that into account, it was genuinely weird, after everything that has been happening, for John to open up the podcast with, “…it’s been kind of a slow news week.”

If only, last-week-John, if only.

Kevin Krisher

Great podcast! And very charitable that Mormon Expression refrained from stacking the deck in favor of Mormonism, which is nevertheless rich in weirdness.

As John said, “We all win.” Like in the Special Olympics.

It was also charitable of the ex-JWs to refrain from mentioning a couple of items that would have turned their victory into a blow out.

First, the Cross: While Mormons view the single most universal and historic symbol of Christianity as morbid and kind of creepy, JWs deny that it even existed. They claim that Jesus was nailed to a stake which had no crosspiece, and some JWs attach some pretty serious significance to this difference.

Also, Michael — aka St. Michael the Archangel. Catholics and Orthodox have popular devotions to him, while Protestants tend to view him as simply an obscure character in the books of Daniel, Jude, and Revelation. Mormons go farther, believing that he was Jesus’ partner in creating the world, and was later incarnated as Adam. But JWs take the prize, believing that Michael was incarnated as Jesus himself.

Interestingly, this is one area where Mormons used to have the edge: Brother Brigham taught that Michael became not just Adam, but eventually God the Father.

James F

The St. Micheal that I remember most during my time as a JW is St. Michael Jackson… perhaps our most famous member (including his demonic disclaimer at the beginning of the Thriller video). Perhaps we would have taken the cake in the “famous members” category.

The Mormons got…. who? The Maytag Repair Man?

http://allaboutmylifeandmore.blogspot.com Crystal

“Red Bull is generally frowned upon, but Monster is ok.” I totally laughed.

“Mormon women have a special calling, and that is to bear lots and lots of babies!”

“So they actually have to cover their heads, at least we don’t actually have… ohhhh…” Yeah. About that.

“You’d get on the CB radio and say ‘the answer to that is Jehovah God.”

Heaven sexless? I am out.

Then the smurfs that wont burn… and heads that were cut off. That junk whack.

He raped her with an air penis? Ohmygod. WOW.

obligatory sex with women who never learned to have sex. There is that. Poor gals.

I didnt talk to my brother for 15 years?

fun podcast.

jack

as a jehovas witness , mormonism runs away with the weird title. jehovas witness are just pure christianity with very little weird. we can even drink a few beers

Ezekilla

Please gtfo jack, of course you would say that about the cult that has you brainwashed.

jack

im not one any more . just saying

Matt

Dude, John, how did you not get into the temple??? Pay lay ale! Prayer circles! Costumes! Secret handshakes! There is nothing – NOTHING – more creepy and weird in Mormonism. And no mention of Kolob or polygamy?

Just to make a comment on the excommunication thing. I think it was John who said that if a mormon woman had had an abortion she would not be allowed back in. My experience is that this is up to the local leaders. It is possible that I received a “lighter” punishment because I had not been endowed. But after my abortion I was disfellowshiped and then later reinstated and went through the temple. I think it may also have to do with how many people know in the ward.

jockee

Hey John

Can you post a link to the deseret news article posting the excommunications you talked about?

Lucy Fur

As someone with a connection to both religions, I’m surprised the JWs won.

The temple and its weirdness outweigh everything else.

I mean, when I was Mormon I threw away all my pretty underwear when I went to the temple and returned home with several packages of church-issued skivvies. I owner them every day, was careful not to let them touch the ground, and felt guilty if I wore a colored bra or wore the bra underneath.

I talked one-on-one about my underwear every year (back then) to an unrelated insurance agent who was “called” to ask me and 300 other people personal questions intermittently.

Then, when my undies got stained or holy, I carefully cut them up and burned pieces of them in an old tin can, per church instructions.

+1,000 points for the Mormons.

Lucy Fur

Plus: sleeves vs sleeveless, door-to-door fast offerings, nosy visiting teachers, psychic readings aka Patriarchal blessings, Callings and Elections made sure, Zelph the White Lamanite, mothers not being able to hold their babies during baby blessings, Satan rules the waters (but mostly just on missions). And missions–OMG, missions–young people volunteering to room with random youth for two years: no masturbating, dating, kissing, wearing normal clothes, working real jobs, going to the movies–for two whole years.

JWs win why?????

Luke Anderson

I am the eldest child of a Utah-born father and an Arizona-born mother. My mom is from Snowflake and I am related to all the big families. As you might know, Arizona Mormons tend to be a bit more fundamentalist than the Utah variety. My mom and her parents tended to regard each and every utterance of the GAs as the word of God, as if it were from Mount Sinai itself.

We never drank Coke because the GAs disapproved of drinking caffeinated drinks. In fact, I never worse shorts as a child, except when swimming because my mom wanted us to be used to wearing garmies. I once got in a lot of trouble for sleeping shirtless, even though it was 100 degrees.

I never wore the garmies and now shamelessly wear shorts. I learned about Joseph Smith’s character (or lack thereof) as a teenager and lost my faith. I was an unbeliever by age 16.

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"What I learned being a Mormon and why it wasn't all Bad"